


It's Chanukah!

by AthynaDaughterofPoseidon



Category: Carmilla (Web Series)
Genre: Chanukah, F/F, Jewish!Carmilla, Jewish!Danny, Strip Dreidel, time for a chanukah au to counterbalance all the christmas fics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-16
Updated: 2015-02-16
Packaged: 2018-03-01 16:37:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 6,840
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2780153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AthynaDaughterofPoseidon/pseuds/AthynaDaughterofPoseidon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Since it's gotten to the time of year where all the Christmas fics all come out, I have decided to write a Chanukah fic for each night (plus the Shamesh) for all the Jews (and non-Jews) out there.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Shamesh

**Author's Note:**

> Jewish Carmilla is very important to me, and I am exponentially excited for Chanukah this year, so I'm posting a chapter every night plus a pre-Chanukah chapter. It won't actually cover all the nights though, since some nights span two chapters.

            Laura coasts through the aisles, one foot on the bottom bar of the cart, the other pushing herself along like she’s on a scooter. She flashes back to when she was five and her mom let her stand on the bottom bar, fingers clutched around the cart’s handle while her mom pushed them zooming down long aisles. An old lady fixes her with a scowl, but Laura doesn’t care because the supermarket is almost empty and she thinks she should be allowed to feel like a kid again.

            She’s so lost in thought that she nearly forgets to brake, slams her foot down at the last second, and almost crashes into the six feet of person standing in front of the Jewish stuff. “Oh gods! I’m so sorry! Are you ok?”

            The woman turns to look at her, and recognition lights her face. “I’m fine. You’re Laura, right? You live on my floor.”

            “Yeah.” Laura recognizes the redhead immediately. Danny from down the hall. Laura is more than happy with Carmilla, but that doesn’t stop her heart from fluttering a little whenever she sees Danny in passing and she stops what she’s doing just to talk to her. She thinks maybe Carmilla knows, because she’s way more antagonistic towards Danny than is necessary. Laura would feel bad, but she trusts herself and so does Carmilla. Besides, Carmilla flaunted her “study buddies” when they were roommates at Uni while very openly flirting with her, so this can be Laura’s small revenge.

            Her thoughts are interrupted by Danny’s “I didn’t know you were Jewish.”

            “I’m not, actually. My girlfriend, Carmilla, is. She’s been making a big show of introducing me to all the holidays, so to speak. She’s making brisket right now, so she sent me out to get a few things for tomorrow. Her family is coming, and she’s really stressed. It’s the first year she’s doing the party, because her babushka died last year and her mom isn’t around and— wow. Ok that was… Sorry, I tend to babble if I start and no one stops me.”

            “That’s fine. It’s cute.” Danny smiles, and Laura can feel a blush creeping up her neck. “You here for candles?” Danny looks down at the designated candle spot, and Laura follows her gaze. There’s a single box sitting on the shelf, squished between the gelt and the dreidels. “You can take them. It sounds like your girlfriend,” and is it Laura’s imagination or does it sound difficult for Danny to say that word, “might have an aneurism if you come home without the candles. I can go find them at some other store.”

            “No! No. You take them. It’s fine. Carmilla told me she has a different chanukiah that fits birthday candles.” Laura waves her hands in a “go ahead” motion, and Danny grins, plucking the box from the shelf and putting them in her cart next to several bags of potatoes.

            “Is that Kosher?”

            “Um, I think? Carmilla said it’d be fine. Plus they’ll burn out faster so we don’t have to blow them out to avoid setting the apartment on fire.

            Danny made a quiet humming noise. “Well, thanks. To be honest, I wasn’t much looking forward to braving the snow just for more Chanukah candles. You’d think this place would keep a better ‘Jew stock’ considering they’re literally three buildings down from a synagogue in the middle of freaking New York, but whatever. Anyway, hope you have a good first Chanukah.”

            “You too. Er — Not first, but… you know. Maybe we can all do something one night.”

            “Yeah,” Danny gives her one final smile before waving and turning to leave.


	2. The First Night (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "WE ARE OUT OF POTATOES! REPEAT WE ARE OUT OF POTATOES! THIS IS NOT A DRILL! THE LATKES AREN'T DONE AND WE ARE OUT OF POTATOES!"

            “Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck. Laura you forgot to buy more potatoes!” Carmilla slammed the cabinet door shut and spun to face the tiny brunette, who had paused halfway back to the couch, cookie in hand.

            “No I didn’t! I just went to the store yesterday. I got the cookies and then onions and candles and… I forgot to get more potatoes. But there were still like half a pound of potatoes, that wasn’t enough?”

            Carmilla stared at Laura as though she’d grown a second head. “Enough? Laura, I need _three_ pounds to make a dozen latkes! Jesus Christ on a pogo stick, my family is gonna be here in like an hour!”

            “Carm, calm down, I’ll just run to the store and buy more potatoes.”

            “Laura the store is closed on Sundays and the snow out there is nearly up to your waist.”

            “It is not! But I see your point.” Laura sunk into the couch cushions and buried her head in her hands. “I’m really sorry Carm. I know you were excited for this and I’ve ruined it.”

            “No, hey, it’s ok,” Carmilla rushed to Laura’s side and put her hands on her shoulders. “Look, I’ll just use a little more onion than usual and make little appetizer latkes. It’s not—it’s not the end of the world.” Laura could hear the slight hitch in her voice. She’d told her that this was her babushka’s recipe, and Laura could sense how much this whole thing meant to her. Suddenly, her head shot up, nearly knocking into Carmilla’s chin.

            “Danny!”

            “Danny? That gargantuous redhead down the hall?” Carmilla’s lip curled slightly in derision.

            “Yeah! I saw her at the supermarket yesterday! She had like a whole shit ton of potatoes! I’ll go ask if she can lend us some!” And before Carmilla could say anything, Laura was slipping into her shoes and darting into the hallway. Laura stopped in front of door 303 and knocked sharply. After a moment, it opened.

            “Hey, Laura, what’s up?” Danny leaned her hip against the doorway and peered discreetly past Laura, no doubt checking to see if Carmilla was in the vicinity. Just then Carmilla poked her head out the door and scowled. Danny was prevented from scowling back by Laura.

            “So, it may sound kinda weird, but I saw you at the store the other day, and you had a bunch of potatoes, and, well, I was supposed to buy some too, but I forgot and Carmilla doesn’t have enough potatoes to make latkes and her family is coming over in a few hours for a holiday party and so I was wondering if it wasn’t too much trouble if we could maybe… have… some of yours?”

            Danny blinked down at Laura for a moment, frankly stunned that she’d managed to say so many words without taking a breath. “I—Well I was just about to start making my latkes actually,” Laura’s face fell, and Danny’s heart sank, “But I was just making them for me, and anyway you let me take the last box of actual Chanukah candles, so you should take the potatoes. I can just wait till the second night for my first latkes.”

            Laura gasped. “No! No we couldn’t— Hold on!” She dashed down the hall back to Carmilla, and Danny watched as they engaged in what seemed to be a very intense conversation.

            She caught the words “—don’t even know her that well” from Carmilla’s mouth, and Laura shook her head.

            After a moment, Laura came back over. “Do you want to come over to ours for the first night of Chanukah? Carmilla’s family is coming over. Well, her Zayde and a few aunts and uncles and cousins, and my dad is coming, and you said you were gonna be alone and we’d be stealing your potatoes so it’s really the least we can do. Plus, Carm’s cousins are really cute.” Laura grinned at her hopefully, and Danny gave up trying to convince herself this was a bad idea.

            “Yeah, ok. I’ll go grab the potatoes. Do you want me to come over and help out, or—?”

            “Well Carmilla won’t even let _me_ in the kitchen while she cooks, but you could help me clean. Usually my friends help me clean up for holidays like this, but they just got engaged, and they’re doing Chanukah with their parents down in the Bronx. I swear it’s like everyone I know now is Jewish! Not — not that that’s a bad thing!”

            “Well, cupcake, you did move to New York.” Carmilla had gotten tired of simply waiting while her girlfriend talked to the ~~cute~~ annoying ginger giant, and had sidled up behind her. She slid an arm around Laura’s stomach from behind and Laura yelped in surprise and turned in her arms.

            Danny cleared her throat. “Well, I’ll go grab the potatoes and meet you guys back at your apartment in a minute.”

            “Do you need any help?” Laura asked, turning back to Danny.

            “No it’s fine. It’s only a few pounds and a few feet. Not much of a schlepp compared to lugging my book-bag to Hebrew school every Saturday.”

            Danny retreats into her apartment, and appears at the door of Laura and Carmilla’s place a few moments later. “Where should I put these?”

            Carmilla raised a hand from the kitchen, separated from what must have been the living room by an island. “Over here, Gingersnap.” Danny deposited the potatoes on the counter, and Carmilla immediately snatched one up. She turned to the sink and Danny hovered awkwardly. Laura was nowhere in sight, and she pretty obviously wasn’t welcome in the kitchen. Carmilla glanced over her shoulder. “Laura’s in the bedroom cleaning. God knows why, it’s not like the party’s in there, but whatever. So you can just…” Carmilla trailed off and waved her hand in the direction of a hallway just off to the right. Danny turned and made towards the hall, when she was stopped by Carmilla’s soft voice. “Hey, uh, Danny… Thanks for the potatoes. I—This is the first time I’m making them without my babushka, so… thanks.” Danny nodded curtly and disappeared to find Laura.


	3. The First Night (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny meets Carmilla's family. They are very Jewish. The children are very cute.

            Laura finally set the broom to the side and glanced at the clock. 5:00 p.m. “Carm, are you done?” she called, sparing a glance at Danny, who was dutifully folding blankets and fluffing pillows.

            “Yeah. The brisket is ready to be heated up and the latkes are ready to be fried. The carrots are cooked, the challah is baking, Gingersnap here is letting us steal two candles, you two actually polished the Chanukiah. You guys done?” Laura nodded, and Carmilla sauntered out of the kitchen. “Well in that case, I’m ready for a shower.” She pulled her top over her head as she waltzed past Danny, and Laura knew exactly what she was doing. Showing Danny that this was her territory and she refused to feel uncomfortable by Danny’s presence. Laura rolled her eyes. Carmilla poked her head around the corner, and raised an eyebrow suggestively. “Coming Cupcake?”

            Danny and Laura both blushed, and Carmilla disappeared back down the hall with a laugh. “I guess you should pop back to your place and get ready. Carm’s family is coming at six, and dinner will probably be around seven.”

            Danny nodded. “Alright. Have a nice shower… or whatever.” With that she turned and strode out of the apartment, trying not to seem too much like she was fleeing.

            Laura marched down the hall leading to the bathroom and stripped off her clothing. The water was running and Carmilla’s clothing was dropped in a heap by the door. Laura stepped into the shower and bumped Carmilla aside so she could stand under the spray. Carmilla grinned and pulled her close, kissing her with a laugh on her lips. “Don’t think that just because I’m showering with you I condone your actions back there.”

            “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Carmilla said, pouring shampoo into her palms and nudging Laura into turning around so she could rub the soap into the other girl’s hair.

            “With Danny. That was totally immature. Just because I — I mean…” Laura trailed off, realizing she’d forced herself into a corner by mistake.

            “What, just because you have a crush?” Laura couldn’t see Carmilla, but she knew she was grinning.

            “No! I just — I…” Laura was at a loss. She turned back around and Carmilla’s hands dropped from her hair. “Carm, I love you. I promise. And I’d never _ever_ even think of cheating on you.”

            “I know creampuff.” Carmilla took Laura’s face in her hands and kissed her gently. “I trust you, ok?” Laura nodded. “Doesn’t mean I have to be nice to the Ginger Giant.” Laura rolled her eyes, but didn’t press. She simply nudged Carmilla and gingerly rubbed shampoo into her hair.

~~  
~~

 

            Carmilla looks amazing in her dress, she really does. Her dress is black and comes down just below her knees, and she’s wearing bright red lipstick and her hair is curled just so, and if Carmilla’s family wasn’t due to arrive in five minutes Carmilla would most definitely not be wearing the dress for much longer. That doesn’t mean her jaw doesn’t drop when Danny walks back in the door.

            She’s wearing a dark blue dress that shows off the fact that her legs are really very long. Her hair is still slightly damp and it shines a bit when it catches the light.

            “Hey. You look really nice Laura,” Danny broke the silence. “You too, Carmilla,” she added off-handedly. Carmilla nodded in acknowledgement, and nudged Laura into motion.

            “Right! You — you look great as well. So, Carm’s family should be arriving—” she was cut off by the doorbell. “That would be them. I’ll get it Carm, you go cook up those latkes.” Laura hurried over to the door and pulled it open. She was immediately engulfed in a hug by a very obviously Jewish elderly man.

            “Laura! And where is my bubala?”

            “I’m in here Zayde,” Carmilla called. The old man hurried into the kitchen and enveloped Carmilla in a hug, before turning and noticing Danny.

            “And who is this beautiful young lady. Carmilla don’t tell me you’re building a harem. I’ve tried that and it never works,” he waved a finger and Carmilla had the decency to look mortified.

            “This is Danny Lawrence,” Laura piped up. “She lives down the hall and let us steal her potatoes since I forgot to buy them, so we invited her over.”

            “Well Danny Lawrence, it’s lovely to meet you.” He strode over and shook her hand, graciously ignoring the light blush on her cheeks. “I’m Mordechei, Carmilla’s Zayde. Carmilla’s aunts and uncles should be here any moment.”

            As if on cue, three women and a man burst through the door, each one holding the hand of a small child. There was a chorus of hellos and “Laura how are you?” and “Carmilla where are you?” and what not, before the group noticed Danny. She introduced herself, and one of the women stepped forward, extending a hand.

            “My name is Rachel. I’m Carmilla’s aunt. This over here,” she gestured to the brunette next to her, “is my wife Sarah. My brother Joshua,” she pointed at the man, who had the same black hair as Carmilla, “and his wife Leah.” Danny smiled and shook hands with them each. One of the children, who looked to be about six, tugged on Rachel’s dress. “Oh, would you like to introduce yourself?”

            The child nodded. “My name is Miriam and I’m seven years old and I go to a Jewish school.” Danny crouched down and shook the girl’s hand very seriously.

            “It’s very nice to meet you. My name is Danny and I am twenty-eight and I don’t go to school anymore. But I went to a Jewish school too when I was your age. Do you know the Hebrew alphabet yet?” Miriam nodded and Danny grinned. “ Maybe we can play dreidel later.”

            Miriam smiled and nudged the girl next to her, whom Danny assumed was her sister. “I’m Eve,” she said, grinning a bit. “I’m six and I go to school with Miriam. We’re in the same class cause I got put into Kindergarten early.”

            “I’m Simone!” exclaimed the boy standing just behind Eve. “Well actually my name is Simon, but sometimes I feel like being Simone, like today. Some people think it’s weird, but mom says it’s ok.” They scuffed their foot against the floor, and suddenly looked self-conscious.

            Danny shook Simone’s hand and leaned a bit closer to whisper conspiratorially. “I have a friend who’s like that too. Except they never really feel like a boy or a girl.” Simone’s face lit up, and Danny smiled. “And what about you?” she asked, turning to the girl next to them.

            “I’m Sasha. I’m Simone’s twin sister. We’re both seven and a half.”

            Hey guys, you wanna go play on the living room?” Laura asked. There was a clash of yes’s and the group of children ran into the living room. “Do you guys want to play knights?”

            “Yes!” Miriam exclaimed. She turned to Danny. “I’m always the Good Knight and Evie is always the Queen. Simone and Sasha trade off being the Bad Knight and the Damsel. And Laura pretends to be a horse and lets us ride around on her back.”

            “I think Simone should be the Damsel today, cause they just got a new dress,” Sasha exclaimed. Simone twirled around, and Danny grinned.

            “I can be a horse too, if you’d like,” Danny suggested.

            Sasha gasped. “Yeah! Then Miriam and I can joust!” ~~  
~~

 

 

            Carmilla walked into the living room forty-five minutes later with Rachel at her side. “Laura, do you know when your dad is getting here?” Laura turned her head, managing to balance Eve, who was balanced on her back pretending to engage in a sword fight with Sasha, while Simone cheered and Eve tried to look regal and disinterested.

            “A couple minutes I think. Is dinner ready?”

            “Almost. She walked over and lifted Eve into her arms, spinning her around once and then setting her down. The other kids immediately stopped what they were doing and scrambled over to her, demanding the same treatment.

            Finally, at seven on the dot, Laura’s dad came bundling through the door. “Laura!” he exclaimed, and Laura raced over to embrace him.

            “Dad! Finally, we were starting to get worried. This is Carmilla’s family, and our next-door neighbor Danny. This is my dad, Andrew.” He went around shaking hands, and then Carmilla ushered them into the dinning hall. She carefully set out the Chanukiah and lit the Shamesh.

            She lit the first candle, replaced the Shamesh in its spot at the center, and began the prayer. “ _Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech ha-olam a-sher ki-de-sha-nu be-mitz-vo-tav ve-tzi-va-nu le-had-lik ner Cha-nu-kah._

_Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-a-sa ni-sim la-avo-te-nu ba-ya-mim ha-hem bi-zman ha-zeh._

_Ba-ruch A-tah Ado-nai E-lo-he-nu Me-lech Ha-olam she-heche-ya-nu ve-ki-yi-ma-nu ve-higi-a-nu liz-man ha-zeh.”_ She and Rachel dashed into the kitchen and emerged with a large dish of brisket and a plate heaped with latkes. They made a second trip for the carrots and sour cream and applesauce, and Laura jumped up to help by grabbing the Challah. “So I know it’s not Friday, but I made Challah anyway,” Carmilla said, looking to her Zayde for approval. He smiled and grabbed two latkes and heap of meat.

            “Bubala, if I didn’t know any better, I’d think this meal was made by your babushka.” Carmilla hid a smile in her latke.


	4. The Second Night (Part One)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Danny invites Laura and Carmilla to a sufganiyot party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this chapter is late. I had an inspiration block last night. The chapter that should be posted tonight will get posted sometime tomorrow. It'll be a good one, hopefully.

Wanna go to this sufganiyot party?

            Danny stood in front of Laura’s door and hesitated. She raised her fist, paused, and nocked. After a beat, the door swung open and revealed Carmilla. “Hey, is Laura here?”

            Carmilla turned and called over her shoulder and Laura was there in an instant, arm wrapping instinctively around Carmilla’s waste.

            “Hey! Danny!”

            “Hi. I just wanted to say thanks for inviting me to your guys’ party last night. I had a lot of fun. Your family is really nice Carmilla. I have no idea how you came from that like this,” Carmilla curled her lip and Laura frowned slightly, “but I had a good time. I was wondering if maybe you guys wanted to come to my temple with me tonight. They’re having a sufganiyot party, so there’ll be food and drinks and music and stuff.”

            “Sufganiyot?” Laura turned a questioning eye on Carmilla.

            “Jelly doughnuts.”

            “It goes with the whole oil theme, cause you fry them,” Danny added. “Anyway, it’s gonna be all younger people, so I figured I’d invite you.” Her gaze lingered on Laura, before turning to Carmilla.

            “That sounds fun. Carm?” The other girl shrugged her shoulders and affected as apathetic an air as possible.

            “Sure, whatever. We weren’t doing anything.”

            “Great! So, uh, the party starts at seven, and it’s like a ten minute walk, so I’ll swing by at like six forty-five?” Laura nodded and Danny grinned, scuffing her foot against the ground slightly. Carmilla rolled her eyes and turned to make her way back to the couch.

            “See you then Gingersnap,” she called, making no effort to hide the fact that she was hoping Danny would leave.

            “Should we wear anything in particular?”

            “No, but you probably want to bundle up. The temple has heating but it’s not… good heating.” And with that Danny turned down to leave. She was half way to her apartment when she turned around to look at Laura, continuing to walk backwards. “I’ll see you in two hours!” she called. Her back hit a wall and she stumbled, her last glance of Laura the other girl closing the door with a laugh.

 

 

            Laura, Carmilla and Danny tumble through the doors of the temple at seven fifteen because Carmilla delayed them, insisting she had to find the perfect coat. Laura had been worried about this, but Danny’d reassured her that if you adjusted for Jewish Standard Time, they were actually early. This had actually startled a laugh out of Carmilla, and Laura’d been duly impressed. Laura has only managed to get her scarf off when she is attacked by five feet and four inches of red haired person. “LaF!” she exclaimed.

            “Wait, you know each other?” Danny asked, as Perry came over to say hi.

            “Yeah, Laura and I have been friends since Uni,” LaFontaine answered.

            “Wait, you know LaFontaine and Perry?” Laura questioned.

            “Yeah, we’ve been going to the same temple for like a year and a half,” Danny replied.

            “What a small world,” Carmilla drawled, picking disinterestedly at her nails.

            “I was the one who finally got the two of them together,” LaF announced proudly, hands on hips.

            “You locked them in a room, dear, that hardly counts,” Perry scolded gently. LaFontaine merely smiled and shrugged.

            “Come on, there’s a ton of latkes and sufganiyot. The rest of the Summer Sisters haven’t arrived yet, Danny.”

            “Summer Sisters?” Laura tilted her head to Danny, while Carmilla made off towards the food table.

            “We’re a girls’ Jewish group. We talk about Torah and do sports and stuff.” Laura nodded, and then decided she should go stop her girlfriend from eating all the donuts.

 

 

            Half an hour later all the girls and LaFontaine were sitting around, talking. “I’m bored,” Elsie, one of the sisters, noted. There was a general hum of consensus.

            “We could play seven minutes in heaven,” Kirsch, one of Danny’s kind-of friends suggested, grinning at the girls around them, respectfully keeping his gaze off of LaF and Perry.

            Laura could feel Carmilla tense beside her, and Laura quickly intervened. “No! I mean, I get super claustrophobic, so we should play something else. Besides, that’s a game for high schoolers.” Carmilla didn’t look at her, but she squeezed Laura’s arm in thanks, and that was enough.

            “Strip dreidel!” Elsie exclaimed.

            “Yes, seconded” Kirsch threw out immediately. Danny rolled her eyes at his enthusiasm, but added a yes vote. LaF agreed and Perry nodded her assent.

            “Strip dreidel?” Carmilla tilted her head in slight amusement. “Never played it.”


	5. The Second Night (Part Two)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strip Dreidel. Need more be said?

            “What do you mean you’ve never played strip dreidel?” one of Danny’s friends exclaimed. She looked truly taken aback, as though Carmilla had just pronounced the world were going to be ending in an hour.

            “Cut ‘em a break, Elsie,” Danny elbowed the blonde in the side. “Laura’s not Jewish. And Carmilla…” she trailed off, not really sure what she could say about her.

            “Mother dearest was rather orthodox,” Carmilla quipped. “Although strip dreidel sounds like something my babushka would have enjoyed. You up for a game Cupcake?” She turned to Laura, who nodded eagerly.

            Danny gestured towards the coat closet. “Trust me, you’ll want as many clothes as possible.” Once everyone had gathered their sweaters, coats, shoes, and hats, they settled in a circle. “Ok, Laura, do you know how to play normal dreidel?”

            She shook her head. “No, sorry.”

            “Basically, you’ve got this top,” she grabbed a dreidel from the pile one of the other girls had gathered, “and it has four letters, one on each side. Nun, gimel, hei, shin.” She indicated each letter. “And then you’ve got the gelt. Everyone starts out with ten pieces, with one piece for every player in the center. Any time the center pot is emptied, each player puts in one piece. On your turn, you spin the dreidel, and if it lands on nun, you do nothing. If it lands on gimel,” she turned the dreidel, “you take all the gelt in the pot. If it lands on hei, you take half the pot, and if it lands on shin, you put one piece in. If you run out of gelt, you’re out.”

            “Ok, I think I got all that.” Laura’s eyebrows were still pulled together, and Danny laughed a bit.

            “It’s alright sweetheart, I’ll remind you if you get lost.” Carmilla turned to Danny. “So what do we do in strip dreidel?”

            “So now comes the fun part. Whenever you land on shin, you have to take off a piece of clothing. Then at the end of each round, whoever has the least amount of gelt also takes off a piece of clothing. If you land on gimel, you get to put back on a piece of clothing. Most of the time we play with a communal clothing pot so to speak, so you may end up with more clothes than you start with.”

            “Sounds fun! I’m in!” Laura exclaimed, bouncing slightly in her seat on the floor. Danny doled out the gelt while each person chose a dreidel.

            “I’ll start,” LaF announced, eagerly spinning their dreidel. Their face fell when it toppled over, proudly displaying a shin. “Are you freaking kidding me? On the first turn of the game?” Perry hid a smile behind her hand, and LaFontaine grumbled while they took off their left shoe. Perry was next, and her spin resulted in a hei and a triumphant grin to her other half. A couple of Summer sisters followed, and then Kirsch who landed on shin and proudly took off his coat. Finally, Laura.

            She grabbed the dreidel in front of her, spun, and buried her face in her hands when the dreidel immediately fell over. “It’s ok, Laura, try again. Most non-Jews don’t get it the first time. It’s kind of a snapping motion.” Laura tried again, and the dreidel spun for a good three seconds before toppling over.

            “Gimel!” she exclaimed. “That is gimel, right?” she turned to Carmilla. “And I get to take the pot?” Carmilla nodded, a faint smile on her face. Laura grabbed the gelt from the middle, and then picked up an extra hat one of the SumSoc sisters had discarded. Everyone tossed in a piece of gelt, and Carmilla spun her dreidel. It landed on hei, and she took her winnings. Danny spun her turn, and groaned when she landed on shin, putting in her gelt and taking off a shoe.

            “Alright, since it’s the first round, anyone who landed on shin this round has to take off a piece of clothing,” Elsie announced. LaF and Danny both took off their other shoe, and Kirsch pulled off his hat.

            The game continued, with LaF managing to get back a piece of clothing on their turn and Perry losing her hat. Kirsch lost his shoe, and Laura put his coat on when she landed on gimel again. Carmilla raised an eyebrow and spun her dreidel. Laura grinned when she landed on shin. Carmilla merely shrugged and tugged off her coat. Danny spun and landed on shin once again. She grimaced and pulled off her jacket, then groaned when she realized that she and Kirsch were tied for least gelt, being the only two who’d landed on shin both times. Kirsch smiled at the girls and proudly pulled off his shirt. Carmilla rolled her eyes, and Danny decided she might not be _so_ bad, and pulled off her sock.

            A few rounds later, and Danny was getting frustrated. She’d somehow managed to land on shin three out of four spins, and had been forced to discard her other sock, both gloves, hat, sweater, vest, outer shirt, and long sleeve, and had only gained back her long sleeve when she landed on gimel her last spin. Laura, meanwhile, seemed to be having a hard time figuring out how to wear all the clothing she’d acquired. “Ok, this is ridiculous! Laura, switch dreidels with me, there’s gotta be something weird with these two!” Laura shrugged and handed over her dreidel. The game continued. Laura’s turn. Danny waited anxiously, waiting for the dreidel to land on shin. It fell over, and Laura took the pot, grabbing Danny’s hat and putting it on over the one she was already wearing. She grinned at Danny sugar sweet, and Carmilla fell in love a little more. Carmilla landed on shin and very carelessly pulled off her T-Shirt.

            Danny spun the dreidel she’d gotten from Laura, crossing her fingers that it truly was a faulty dreidel. The damn thing spun for a few seconds and landed on shin. Danny buried her face in her hands and then pulled off her shirt. She proceeded to look around, and groaned when she realized that she had the least gelt out of anyone. “Fuck,” she muttered, undoing the button on her pants and shrugging out of them. Carmilla smirked, and Kirsch and Laura both turned away, ever so slightly flushed. Danny sat there through the next round, and when it got to Danny again, she landed, once again, on shin. “Alright this is fucking impossible! I’m out. How does this even happen?” Danny backed out of the circle and watched as the others continued. A couple other SumSocs joined her a few rounds later, followed by Kirsch and Perry, who refused to take off her tank top and pants. LaF got down to their underwear and the binder they’d felt like wearing that day, and finally it was down to Carmilla, Laura, and Elsie.

            Three rounds later, and Laura was nearly dying of heat stroke under all the layers, and she’d acquired all the gelt in the game. They all resorted their clothing, and Danny offered a hand to Laura, who took it with a confused smile. Danny gave her hand a very formal shake. “Well, you managed to somehow smoke an entire room of Jews at dreidel. In my eyes, at least, you are officially an honorary Jew.”

            Laura laughed, and turned to Carmilla. “Well, as fun as this has been, I think we should go.” Carmilla nodded, and turned to Danny.

            “Catch ya on the flip side Gingersnap.”


	6. The Third night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura goes to her dad's for Christmas. Danny and Carmilla sing along to Fiddler on the Roof.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, obviously my one chapter a night dream is not going to come to fruition as I have once again become subject to Jewish Standard Time.

            “Are you sure you don’t want to come to my dad’s with me?” Laura asked, shoving her dress into her bag.

            “I’m sure, Cupcake. You go have Christmas with your dad. I’ll be just fine on my own for a night.” Carmilla made a shooing motion and leaned against the doorframe. “Maybe I’ll invite the Ginger Giant over and we’ll watch Fiddler on the Roof.”

            “You. Invite over Danny? What are you planning,” Laura scrunched up her face and glared at her.

            Carmilla put her hands up and stepped back. “Who me? Nothing. I just thought that maybe, since you looove her sooooo much I could make an effort to get along.”

            “That! I don’t! Shut up.” Laura hoisted her bag onto her shoulder and stormed out of the bedroom. She thunked it down onto the floor by the island in the kitchen and went about preparing a snack for the road. “Listen, Carm, I know that I think Danny is, well, attractive, and I know you know that I think that, but I also know that I love you and I know you know that. I just want to make nice with the neighbors.”

            “Laura, calm down. We’ve had this conversation already. You love me. The Gingersnap is hot. It’s fine. I’m honestly going to try and make nice.”

            “Really?”

            “Yes. Besides, maybe we should be reconsidering the never sleeping with her, I mean did you _see_ her last night?”

            “I’m leaving now!” Laura snatched the sandwich she’d prepared and hurried out the door. After a few seconds, she poked her head back around the door. “Just don’t… Don’t do anything… weird.” And with that she was gone.

 

 

            Carmilla strolled down the corridor and knocked the back of her fist against the door lazily. It swung open to reveal Danny in a large Sheridan U sweatshirt. “What do you want?”

            “Come watch Fiddler on the Roof with me.”

            “I’m sorry, what?”

            “Fiddler. Come watch it with me. Laura’s off at her dad’s for Christmas. I said I’d make nice with you.”

            Danny stared at her for a moment longer before nodding. “Fine, but it has to be the sing-along version.”

            “Naturally.” Carmilla turned and walked back to her apartment. Danny followed with a resigned sigh. Carmilla had left the door open for her, and she pulled it closed once she got there. Carmilla was in the kitchen, pushing buttons on the microwave. “Make yourself useful Gingersnap. The movie’s on the shelf by the TV. Just hit the little eject button on the DVD player and pop in the disk.”

            “Yeah, thanks, I know how to use a DVD player.” Danny grabbed the movie and put it in, before flopping down on the couch. Carmilla waltzed over a few minutes later, bowl of popcorn in her grasp. She shoved it into Danny’s lap and grabbed the remote off the table. She clicked a few buttons and the TV flickered to life and then skipped through the previews to the title screen. Carmilla scrolled through the options and selected the sing-along, and the movie started to play.

            The first half hour or so of the movie was spent in complete silence, despite the fact that they’d both insisted on a sing-along. They sat on their own sides of the couch, popcorn bowl between them, munching on the snack.

            Eventually, Carmilla spoke up. “My babushka and I used to watch this every Christmas Eve.” Danny turned to look at the girl beside her, but Carmilla continued to stare straight ahead. “My maman would drop me off with her at the start of any holiday and then come back to pick me up once it was done. She hated any association with the rest of her family. She was a… black sheep I suppose.” Carmilla laughed sardonically. “Holidays were the best. I didn’t have to worry what would happen if I left a plate in my room for more than an hour.” Danny shifted in her seat and turned back to the movie. She made no indication that she’d heard anything Carmilla had said, but when the next song, “Tevye’s Dream,” came on, Danny began singing along. Rather passionately.

            Carmilla smirked at her, attempting to remain aloof and unaffected, but then Danny turned to her and held out her hands, palms up, and sang, “We made a bargain Grandma. With the butcher Lazer-Wolfe.”

            Carmilla’s smirk cracked into a smile, and she replied, “Noooo No! So you announced it Tevye. That's your headache. And as for Lazer-Wolfe I say to you. Tevye, that's your headache too!” They continued like this, shoving popcorn into their mouths in between songs and singing passionately whenever a new song came round.

            After about two hours, Carmilla began to doze off, voice weaker for singing, and then totally absent. Danny turned the volume down when Carmilla dropped off during "Chava Ballet Sequence.” Her head dropped heavily onto Danny’s shoulder, and Danny continued to stare ahead, humming along to the last song, and then turning off the TV when the movie ended.

 

 

            Carmilla woke up sometime around midnight, and made an attempt to sit up. She was prevented however, by the rather heavy arm wrapped around her waist. She shrugged internally and rested her head back on Danny’s shoulder, letting herself fall back asleep.

            Danny woke up around six the next morning, and immediately shoved Carmilla away, rousing the other girl rather rudely. “Wow, nice wake up call there, Ginger Giant.”

            “I wasn’t…. that there did not just happen.”

            “What where? You cuddling me like I’m your very own body pillow?” Carmilla managed to overcome her sleepiness and snark at the ginger across from her.

            “You! You cuddled me first! What was I supposed to do but sit on the couch and hope you wake up? I cannot be held accountable for what I do in my sleep!”

            “Hey, hey, Gingerbread, you don’t have to justify it to me,” Carmilla threw her hands up in front of her face. “Just wait till Laura hears I was the first one to get to sleep with you.”

            Danny’s face lit up red, and she spluttered. “You—You can _not_ tell Laura about this!”

            “Oh relax, Amazon. Laura thinks you’re cute. I think you’re hot. You should join us for Chinese food once Laura gets back. LaFerry’ll be there. Now you’re free to stay, but I’m going to take a shower.” And with that, Carmilla waltzed off to the bathroom.


	7. The Fourth Night (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Laura arrives home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize that this took so long, I fell out of writing this. I know it is no longer the holidays, but I do plan to see this through to the end.

            When Laura returned home an hour later, Carmilla was stretched out across the couch reading one of her philosophy books, one of the battered ones that she’d bought tattered from a second-hand shop and worn even further with rereading. “Carmilla, I’m home,” she called. Her answer was a raised hand and a continuation of muttered German. Laura rolled her eyes and hung up her scarf. “So did you actually invite Danny over last night?” she asked reproachfully.

            “Oh don’t sound so much like you think you need a body bag,” Carmilla drawled. “We had a perfectly civil night of extremely Jewish singing. The only violence was when Danny shoved me awake at six am.”

            “Did I not _just_ say we weren’t going to talk about that?” called a voice from within the depths of the apartment. Out stormed Danny, toweling off her hair, and Laura’s jaw, for what felt like the twentieth time in her presence, dropped. A six foot two goddess emerging from your shower was not something to be taken lightly.

            “Danny!” Laura squeaked. “I didn’t realize you were still here.”

            “Well, I tried to go home, but there was no hot water in my apartment, so Carmilla offered your guys’ shower. She said you wouldn’t mind, but I—”

            “No! No it’s fine, I just— Anyway, did you want to come to lunch with us?”

            “Yeah, Ginger, do you want to come to lunch with us,” Carmilla turned to Danny, voice sugar sweet and dripping with antagonistic undertones.

            “I really don’t want to intrude,” Danny began, but she was promptly cut off by a very enthused Laura.

            “No not at all! It was just going to be me and Carm and LaFontaine and Perry. All people you know, so really you’d be a welcome addition and if I knew before that you’re friends with LaF and Perry I would have invited you months ago when we planned this!” All Danny can do is laugh, because _of course_ Laura planned Chinese food on Christmas months in advance.

            “All right, I give, I’ll come.” Laura squealed in delight, and ran over to wrap a very surprised Danny in a hug. Laura pulled back quickly, and looked down.

            “Sorry. I, uh, I’m a very touchy person, and I just get so excited sometimes that I forget myself, and—”

            Danny laughing cut her off. “It’s fine. Hugs are nice.” Laura looked at her, utter happiness shining through her eyes, and then Carmilla scoffed, and they both looked away.

            “Right. So, I’m just gonna go take a quick shower, and then we should go.” Laura turned to make her way down the hall, but stopped and turned at the last minute. “I know you two managed not to kill each other for an entire night, so keep up the good streak. Please.”

            Carmilla laughed at the note of desperation in her voice. “Relax Cupcake, I know how fond you are of the Jolly Ginger Giant here. Besides,” Carmilla paused and looked Danny up and down in a way that had heat crawling up Danny’s neck, “she’s not entirely repulsive.”

            Laura rolled her eyes and retreated into the bathroom.


End file.
